Twas The Night Before Christmas

We've had a blast establishing our own new traditions, but we have also really enjoyed celebrating cherished old traditions we each grew up on.

One of Matt's cherished traditions includes his favorite Italian Christmas Eve Salad. It involves lots of cooking, strong smells, and things with tentacles, but it is beloved and we will carry on the tradition proudly.

One of my favorite traditions is turning off all the lights except the bright ones wrapped around the Christmas tree, everyone getting a special cup of sparkling cider, and curling up while Dad reads the account of Jesus' birth from the Bible.

So our night before Christmas may sound like a Norman Rockwell painting of hand-me-down family recipes and snuggled in pj's quietly listening to Matt read the Bible, but the truth was it was something more of chaos and craze.

We may have ended up with more sparkling cider on the carpet then in the cups, we may have had a debate with Harrison about how having to spend the night in a stable is not as cool as he thinks it would be, and the lights may have actually short circuited (thanks to my hubby for figuring a fix that did not involve us having to go out on Christmas Eve to buy new lights and redecorate the tree).

But the night before Christmas truly is a magical night, especially with two bursting with excitement boys. I have no idea what that poem is talking about with "not a creature stirring" because that is so not reality on the eve of Christmas, but I wouldn't have it any other way:)